This continues to baffle me
Why can't people just get on with each other? At the basic level, why are folks killing each other in the name of faith, or because of divergent ideas on sexuality or even just ethnic origin. People confuse the fuck out of me, it is not hard, you just have to be just be nice to each other!

Racists, sexists, homophobes, religious intolerant bigots, they confound me. Ok, so I am a naive idiot, tear me a new one.
( Rev. Jayneflakes Buy my book, I need the cash for drugs and hookers, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 20:22, 20 replies)

The one you have is just fine;
you're just missing one essential element in your equation: human evil. The existence of humanity is synonymous with the existence of evil, and the irony of giving the term 'humanity' a meaning of decency and kindness is not lost on me.
( .Yeti. El amor en los tiempos del cólera, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 20:35, closed)

I get
the whole 'evil' thing, I just don't know anyone who is, including myself. I'm with the OP, I simply can't get it.
I could understand, say, Ethiopians being 'evil' through simply needing to live, and therefor fucking over the next man for his food, but people in the West, who live comfortably - even those on the 'western' breadline have a roof over their heads for the most part - I can't understand the motive.
(dchurch bah, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 20:50, closed)

That's the whole point.
Fucking over your neighbour for his food is not evil: it's survival of the fittest.

Being sexist/racist/homophobic when there's no obvious benefit or even no benefit at all for you is plain evil.
( .Yeti. El amor en los tiempos del cólera, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 21:04, closed)

I think a lot of it does come down to need and want.
If you go somewhere where people have everything they need and some things they want then you find it's likely to be less violent and nasty.
If everyone could have what they want when they want it (not counting hurting people etc.) then there would be a whole lot less crime. The only crime then would be people who are either mentally ill or brainwashed into being so.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 21:22, closed)

Commie

( .Yeti. El amor en los tiempos del cólera, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 21:58, closed)

not necessarily
have you never heard the saying "much wants more"?
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 23:37, closed)

But much doesn't feel the need to murder for more quite as often.
I know it's not unheard of for people who are well off to steal and murder (professions where that's their job aside) but they're less likely to than people who can't get the smack or crack they want or those who can't quite afford the TV, Car and trainers they think they need.
It's certainly not an answer to give everyone everything but you only have to look at more developed nations without a divide between rich and poor to see that they have less crime.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 23:51, closed)

crimes borne of necessity are at least understandable
if not condonable. crimes borne of greed tend to be on a much larger scale
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Sun 16 Oct 2011, 0:03, closed)

Racism is natural.
It goes back to tribes. You instinctively see people of a different race as being of a different tribe, and so therefore as competition.

Saying it's natural does not condone it, as shitting in the street is natural as well. I have also put it very simply.

Awaits abuse
(Vigilante Man weeps because you're stupid., Sat 15 Oct 2011, 22:30, closed)

"Fucking over your neighbour for his food is not evil: it's survival of the fittest."

Not really, invoking evolution as an excuse or even explanation for selfish behaviour is a particular kind of bollocks espoused by wankers who want to act like wankers without chalking it up to their wankerish personality.

"Survival of the fittest" (an somewhat outdated term) is used to describes how, at a species level, organisms that are better adapted to their local envrionment will be more likely to reproduce. It doesn't apply at the level of competition between individuals.
(flimflam_machine, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 11:35, closed)

I could introduce you to my mother in law to be
then you would have met someone evil and you would be sadder but wiser.
(Falco, Sun 16 Oct 2011, 22:51, closed)

I, for one, can get on with everyone
Except naive idiots.

the new one suits you ;-)
(roysin, Sat 15 Oct 2011, 23:08, closed)

The right to swing your arms
stops where somebody elses nose begins.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Sat 15 Oct 2011, 23:55, closed)

one word-although its a long one.
Overpopulation. Too many people.. Look at it another way.. Hitler technically created 6 million jobs.
'ducks'
(bangthedrum, Sun 16 Oct 2011, 11:16, closed)

As I understood it
The Nazi regime of Germany in the 1930's to 1940's killed over eleven million people, with much higher figures if you add all people killed in the fighting too.

That puts it at close to fifteen or twenty million jobs. What are you advocating here?
( Rev. Jayneflakes Buy my book, I need the cash for drugs and hookers, Sun 16 Oct 2011, 12:13, closed)

nonsense
Not all of those 11 million were employed though? And I'm advocating nothing guv...'steers clear of political and social pitfalls'
(bangthedrum, Sun 16 Oct 2011, 13:21, closed)

Racism and homophobia are basically a fear of the unknown.
Most people are afraid, to some extent, of the unknown, which is why so many people are uncomfortable in a darkened room. That, and forrins/gays make convenient scapegoats.
Sexism is probably connected with the increasing blurring of defined gender roles, and the resultant frustrations and scapegoating (change can be particularly hard to accept if it doesn't feel like a change for the better).
At the end of the day, if we weren't living in an ordered society, we'd all be caving eachother's heads in, so what should surprise you is that so many people act in non-evil ways.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Sun 16 Oct 2011, 21:33, closed)

Also racism and homophobia are OK if you're an Oxford graduate, and you're mates with a Guardian writer.
Then you're regarded as highly intelligent and outspoken, rather than just a bigot.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 0:23, closed)

Hmm, Agree with you I do...
"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
( DukeEuphoria Comes highly reccomended, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 14:49, closed)

Choices...

(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Mon 17 Oct 2011, 1:04, closed)